


Worth Fighting For

by rumpledspinster



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), ouat
Genre: F/M, I really hope you like it, No Smut, based on the film Illegal, lawyer AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-21 11:16:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 16,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14283732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumpledspinster/pseuds/rumpledspinster
Summary: Rum Gold is a disillusioned District Attorney who feels his life is spiraling out of control. He has been a mentor to Belle French, the daughter of his own mentor Collete, and tried to be a father figure to her as well in the wake of her mother's sudden death. Feelings between them intensified over the years and Rum couldn't keep from feeling as if he was holding Belle back so he stubbornly pushes her toward a future he believes is best for her, but not all is what it seems and Belle will find herself in danger that she never expected.





	1. Chapter 1

“Congratulations Gold! No one else could have gotten a conviction on that case but you.” The well-wisher reached out to shake D.A. Gold’s hand as he and his co-councilor Belle French entered the restaurant and were led to their usual booth in the back. Gold hesitantly shook the man’s hand before quickly ushering Belle to the table. They quickly put in their order for their usual hamburgers and ice tea and then settled into easy conversation. 

“He’s right you know.” Belle whispered between sips of ice tea.

“Hmm?” 

“That man. You truly are gifted at what you do Rum.”

“That’s kind of you to say Belle.”

“It’s the truth.” Belle reached her hand forward and captured his before he could hide it under the table. 

Gold smiled, but then he lowered his head avoiding her gaze. He had known Belle for most of her life. Her mother Colette had given Rum his first break as a lawyer. It had been a tragedy when she was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Rum had promised her that he would look after Belle as if she were of his blood, the both of them no longer having family to call their own. And he had made good on that promise when Belle found herself an orphan at the age of sixteen. But somewhere along the lines their relationship became so much more than that of a father and daughter. He supposed it was inevitable that they would become so dependent on each other, but while Belle had proven herself to be eager to allow their relationship to evolve into a romantic one, Rum was not. He felt sickeningly guilty for even entertaining the idea in his dreams. Belle was young, bright, and beautiful. He would become no more than an anchor to her; a loadstone upon her back, so he sent her away to college hoping that she might meet someone young and handsome and forget him, but Belle never gave up on what she wanted. He should have known she wouldn’t be swayed. She drove the three hours to stay with him every weekend and called every day, sharing with him every moment of her life that they had spent apart. Yet Gold still tried to break her of him.

He couldn’t help giving her a job under him when he came into the position of District Attorney, but he had been able to use her new position to move her out of the pink Victorian that they shared. He bought and furnished a lovely apartment for her, insisting that her living on her own as an educated and successful woman was important to her appearance and impression on others. She had reluctantly agreed, because after all they still saw each other every day.

Rum could feel his hand becoming clammy beneath Belle’s, the closeness becoming too much to bear, so he pulled his hand out and busied it with smoothing out his napkin. “Well, a great deal of my success is due to your involvement behind the scenes.  
Belle sighed at the loss of his hand and smiled sadly at his comment. “You say the nicest things, but never in writing.”  
Rum continued to avoid her gaze, so she decided to just come out with the question that had been plaguing her mind for some time, “Do you really intend to run for governor?”

Rum looked up into her forlorn face and tried to put on the impish persona that served him so well in his work, “Well what do you think I’ve been doing all these years, hmm? Can you imagine how much improved the governor’s mansion would look in a lovely shade of salmon?” He had hoped to inspire a smile with his words, but Belle was looking at her untouched fries now and sucking on her bottom lip the way she would always do when she was upset.  
“Hey now, you don’t have to look so solemn about it.”

Belle continued to stare down her fries as she answered quietly, “It’s a solemn moment, you’ll be leaving me behind.”

Rum’s voice cracked slightly as he answered and he cursed himself for letting his feelings color his voice so, “Ah, you’ve wasted enough time on me. It’s about time you started thinking about getting married and having a life.”

With reflexes Rum couldn’t believe, Belle had her hand on his once again and was looking at him with those big lovely blue eyes of hers and whispering, “I have been, and I don’t consider the time I’ve spent with you to be wasted.”

Rum simply gaped at her like a fish out of water for a moment before he closed his eyes and licked his lips. He pulled his hand out of hers and pushed away from the table. “We should be going.” Belle sighed sadly and nodded.

They rose to leave, but as they neared his black Cadillac they were approached by an erratic looking man who shouted, “How does it feel to send people to the electric chair?”  
Belle was momentarily shocked speechless, but Gold remained composed, “I don’t send them there. They send themselves.” He then ushered Belle into the car and they left. 

As he drove her to her apartment she finally spoke. “I can’t believe someone would say such a thing! He was found guilty by a jury of his peers!”

Gold smiled sadly, “Such is the life of a criminal lawyer. Sometimes you are the hero, but often you’re the villain of the tale.”

Rum dropped Belle off at her apartment, turning down her offer of coffee much to her heartbreakingly dismayed face. He began to make his way home when his phone rang. “Hello?”

“Gold, it’s Graham. We got it wrong.”

He sounded out of breath, and was difficult to understand. Gold tried to get him to clarify. “What are you talking about? What’s happened?”

“Edmond Dantes is innocent. We picked up a guy speeding out of town, drunk off his ass. He admitted that he was the one who killed Mercedes Herrera, NOT the fiancé Edmond.”

Gold felt as if he had been sucker punched in the gut. “Is it just his word?”

“He can prove that he and Mercedes were having an affair. He has pictures and letters. He claims that she broke it off, told him he was a fool to believe she would leave Edmond. He threatened to tell the guy because they had been best friends. Said she told him that he would never take his word over hers and laughed at him. He got angry when she wouldn’t stop laughing. He made to leave the house she and Edmond shared when he remembered that they kept a gun in a drawer in the entry way hall. He grabbed the gun and killed her. Apparently, the act sobered him up a bit, enough to think to wipe the gun down and drop it by the body. I guess the fiancé was telling the truth about being so flustered that he picked up the gun to throw it across the floor and that his clothes were bloody from him holding her in his arms.”

Gold felt physically ill. “We have to notify the jail. The whole trial will have to be thrown out.”

Gold quickly made the call to have Mr. Dantes moved from death row only to be met with the news that he had hung himself, the body having only been found about a half hour previous. Gold dropped the phone and slumped over the wheel.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle heard what had happened the next morning, but couldn’t get Rum to answer the phone. Finally, she decided she would go to the office and see if perhaps he was there. 

She knew that he was when she saw the state of his secretary Ms. Tinker. The poor girl was a crying mess as she packed her things into a large box and hefted it into her arms.

Belle rushed over to her with concern plain on her face, “What’s wrong?”

Ms. Tinker sniffled, “Oh nothing. I always get hay fever when my boss resigns.”

Belle went pale at her words, “What?!”

Tinker’s lip began to wibble as she shifted the box in her arms, “He’s been in his office all night. Don’t knock or you’ll never get in.” Tinker lowered her eyes and made her way to the elevator. 

Belle steeled her nerves and entered Rum’s office. The room looked as if a rhino had had a tantrum in it. Things were thrown and overturned and papers were strewn everywhere. Rum was sitting in an arm chair in the corner of the room with a nearly empty bottle of scotch clutched in his dangling hand and a pile of papers strewn across his lap and the floor by his feet. 

Belle swallowed hard seeing him look so broken. She made her way over to him. “I hear you’re resigning.”

Rum sighed, “You heard correctly.”

Belle brushed his shoulder length hair from his face with gentle fingers. “I should’ve been with you last night. You should have called me.”

Rum took another swig from the bottle in his hand. “No one was with Dantes when he decided to end it all.”

Belle turned his face toward her own with a hand on his cheek, “This isn’t your fault Rum. No one is blaming you. We did everything by the book. We all know that you tried to make it right.”

Rum swished the remnants of his bottle of scotch in front of Belle’s face. “Edmond Dantes doesn’t know.”

Belle swatted the bottle away and placed her hands on his shoulders, shaking him slightly. “Don’t think like that. Don’t talk like that. Anything you did, we all did. Gaston gathered the evidence, I put the case file together…”

Rum sneered at her, his eyes appearing to be no more than slits and for the first time she felt the force known by many as “the crocodile” directed at her, “Yes, but I killed him. No one else could’ve gotten a conviction on that evidence. No one but me. I made that jury dance to my tune because that’s what I do. Rum Gold, the Napoleon of the courtroom! Well… this is my Waterloo.” He drained his bottle of the last remaining golden drops. 

Belle huffed in powerless frustration, “You thought he was guilty, you know you did!”

Rum shouted slurred words with a thick Scottish brogue, “I thought they were all guilty! Were they?!” His voice quieted down to a mere whisper as a tear ran down his cheek, “Try and answer that. Were they?”

Belle’s eyes pricked at the sight of him, but she choked back her tears. She thought to herself, I have to be the strong one right now. She smoothed her hair back with her hands and huffed, “Don’t quit. Stop drinking this” (she grabbed the empty bottle from his hand and tossed it aside). Her voice softened, “We’ll just have to be more careful next time. All of us will.”

The crocodile was back in control as he sneered at her once more, “Careful? I can’t be careful. When I go into a courtroom I have to win. I always have to win. What do you think got me out of that slimy little block where I was born? Sure, your mother helped, but I would’ve gotten out even if I had to crawl on my hands and knees. I was a fighter when I was a kid, I had to be. And I never stopped fighting, and I never will. I wouldn’t know how.”  
He sighed and hid his head in his hands for a moment before looking up at her with those warm brown puppy dog eyes, “You want to know why I’m resigning? It’s because I know I would fight just as hard for the next conviction as I did Edmond Dantes, and with no better evidence.”

Belle began to suck on her bottom lip. She swallowed hard and spoke in a choked whisper, “But there has to be a DA. Someone has to live with that responsibility.”

Rum huffed, “Well then let somebody. As for me, I’d rather see a hundred guilty men go free before I see another innocent one convicted.”

Belle closed the gap between them, her face so close to his that he could feel her breath as she spoke. “I thought you were a fighter.” 

She was angry with him, disappointed in him, but there was nothing that could be done about that. After all, she had been the one to put him on a pedestal in her own mind. It’s her own fault for not seeing him as he truly is. So he spoke a bit harsher than he intended, but then softer. “I am!... but I’m not a killer. I’ll go off and set up a civil practice and get even richer shuffling big corporation contracts from one drawer to another, because at the end of the day I’d rather have money in my hands than people’s lives.”

Belle sighed as she helped him to his feet and they began to make their way to the door. “Oh Rum, you don’t know enough about civil law.” 

He slurred at her and waggled a finger at her face, “I know all about all kinds of law.”

Belle rolled her eyes, “Please Rum, you need sleep. I’ll drive you home.”

Rum’s voice was so slurred and the brogue was so thick that she barely understood him when he answered, “What I need is another bottle of scotch.”

Belle got him home and into bed. She set out water and aspirin for him and pulled the curtains shut. She decided that he probably needed space, so she headed back to her apartment. 

The next evening she returned to the pink Victorian just as a storm began to release its downpour. She hurried inside, pulling her coat over her head until she made it to the safety of the porch. She let herself in and hung her now soaked coat on the rack in the foyer. The lights were off and she wondered if perhaps he was still sleeping off the liquor from the day before, but then a chilled breeze from the front room blew into her and wrapped her in its chilly embrace. She made her way into the darkened room and turned on a lamp. She looked to the source of the frigid air and saw that Rum was slumped in his arm chair by an open window, wind and rain blowing in on him and soaking him to the bone as he lay oblivious and unconscious with yet another nearly empty bottle of scotch laying on the floor near him having rolled when he released his grip on it. “Oh Rum.”

Belle ran over and closed the window. She then hurried into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee before going into the downstairs bathroom and turning on the tap to fill the tub with warm water. She returned to Rum and began to undress him. She removed his shoes, socks, and tie, and then undid his buttons and zipper. “Come on Rum. Get up.” She pulled on his arms attempting to get him to stand. He finally opened his eyes and looked up at her blearily, “Hello.”  
She sighed, “Hi.”  
He allowed her to pull him onto unsteady feet and she quickly got his shirt off and let his pants fall to the floor. With her help, he stepped out of his pants and they made their way to the bathroom. 

When he made no move to pull off his briefs, Belle simply helped him into the tub and turned off the water. She then took a seat on the closed toilet and watched him. The warm water seemed to sober him up a bit, because he looked at her and waggled a finger as he said, “You shouldn’t have come. Big mistake.”

She simply rolled her eyes at him. “You shouldn’t have drunk any more than you already had. Now then, finish your bath, then coffee.”

Rum hummed and replied, “Women are so practical. Your mother was practical too. When she was dying, I told her don’t worry, that I would be a father to you. That I would take care of you, but here you are taking care of me.”

Belle sighed, “Maybe you shouldn’t have tried to be a father. Maybe that wasn’t the way it was meant to be.”

Rum closed his eyes, “It was the only way.” He waggled a finger at her before letting his hand fall back into the tub and splash water over the side and onto the floor. “Now go marry Gaston. Father’s orders.”

Belle ground her teeth, “That’s the only reason you hired him isn’t it? Because you got it into your thick skull that he was right for me. That’s why you’re always trying to push me off on him. Well stop playing cupid like some Jane Austin character long enough to see that I choose you! Oh Rum… I love you. Why can’t you see that?”

The coldness in Rum’s words made them cut into her heart all the deeper as he told her to “Get out.”

Her voice was no more than a whimper as she forced out a, “What?”  
“I said GET OUT! I don’t need a practical woman and I don’t need you! I don’t want you! So do us both a favor and leave.”

Belle could feel the tears running silently down her cheeks and splash as cool drops on her knees. She said nothing as she stood up and walked out into the foyer, put on her coat, and left.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days were a blur to Rum as he moved through them in an alcohol filled haze, only sobering up when Graham saw fit to lock him in the drunk tank for twenty-four hours. Rum found that he didn’t enjoy being sober as his mind seemed to no longer have a distraction from the fact that his life was utterly ruined, so he found himself paying attention more so than he normally would’ve to the man in the next cell as he was told about the charges he would be facing. It seemed the new D.A. Ms. Regina Mills had decided to charge the man with murder in the first degree. 

So that’s who they got. Rum couldn’t fault the choice. Regina was ruthless in the courtroom, but unlike Rum she was ruthless outside of the courtroom as well. Heaven help Belle and Graham, Rum thought with a sigh. Regina would be a tough boss to answer to for people like Belle and Graham who wouldn’t be willing to twist evidence like she does. Gaston is probably ecstatic, Rum thought with disgust. While Rum believed that Gaston was a good choice for Belle as a husband in that he was young, handsome, well off, and seemingly kind; Rum had never cared for the sleazy nature he displayed whenever in a courtroom. No doubt Gaston considered Regina to be a master at the craft. Rum was drawn back to the present as he heard the man try to plead with Graham that there was no concrete evidence so why must the charge be murder one.

Rum cleared his throat and spoke. “Tell me about your case and maybe I can help you.”

The man rolled his eyes, “What can you do?” Graham smiled as he spoke up. “Mr. Gold is the best lawyer you’ll find. He’s never lost a case.”

The man considered his words. “I wouldn’t be able to afford you.”

Rum chuckled, “No you wouldn’t, but if I think you have a good case I’ll take it for free on the condition that you tell people that I did right by you. Deal?”

The man considered, “Deal I guess, since I don’t really have a choice.”

The man’s name turned out to be Toby Tortoisé and he had killed a man known as Max Hare. They had both been in the End of the Line bar at the edge of town when a fight broke out. It was a free for all and the bar was dark and dimly lit. Max was a prize fighter. He came at Toby and punched him in the chest cracking a rib. Toby grabbed a glass mug of beer from the bar and before Max could get in another punch, brought it down hard on his head. Max was knocked unconscious and died later at the hospital.”  
Rum considered the story, “You say he was a prize fighter. Was he still active in the ring?”

Toby nodded. Rum smiled. “A prize fighter’s fists are considered deadly weapons in this state.”

Toby sighed, “So’s the mug I hit him with apparently.” But Rum didn’t notice the comment; already the wheels were turning in his mind. Toby noticed the smile on Mr. Gold’s face and asked, “Do you really think you can get me off?” Rum just smiled broadly like a crocodile about to strike.


	4. Chapter 4

Rum pushed the ajar door to his new office open with a gentle push of his posterior, and made his way into the small space. It wasn’t much, but it had room for his desk, a book case, and a small couch. It also had a small work space off to the side with a partition that could be pulled across for privacy. He walked over to his new desk and sat down the bag of bagels and two coffees. 

Mrs. Potts huffed as she brushed the hair from her face. “I suppose you think you can win me over with that.”

Rum smiled at the older woman. “I’m well aware that a woman such as yourself could never be won over by such a small offering.”

The older woman smiled and shook her head, “Don’t think that’s an excuse not to keep trying.”

He chuckled, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Mrs. Potts had been Collette’s secretary and had been as much as a mentor to him as she had. When he had gotten the crazy idea of becoming a criminal defense lawyer out of the blue, she had been the first person he called, and to his great relief she didn’t think he was crazy. In fact, when she heard his reason for choosing this career change she was proud. He was going to make Regina work for every conviction and perhaps that pushing is what lady justice’s scale is in need of. Rum had only called her because he desperately needed someone to talk to about everything that had happened and he couldn’t bring himself to call Belle. Mrs. Potts had not agreed with him on what had happened between he and Belle, but she hadn’t pushed it. What she had pushed was that she was coming out of retirement and would help him get established once again. He had tried to tell her that it wasn’t necessary, but you don’t argue with Mrs. Potts. And he had to admit that she was just what he needed to get out of his slump. She got an office space for him and through her special brand of magic she had it cleaned up and looking professional in next to no time. 

Mrs. Potts took a sip from her cup of coffee and sighed happily at the caffeine boost. “The sign person will be here in a couple of hours to do up a sign on the door, I’ve already had a lit sign installed in our window since it is street view and we might as well take advantage, and I made the building owner add you to the directory downstairs. 

Rum smiled broadly, “What would I do without you?”

Mrs. Potts shrugged, “Oh, I’m sure you’d be practicing law out of a cardboard box in some alley.”


	5. Chapter 5

Gaston looked up from his steak to see Belle poking at her fries with her fork. He rolled his eyes at her, “You’re doing it again.”

 

“Hmm?” Belle looked up to see the annoyed look on Gaston’s face.

 

“You’re moping.”

 

Belle huffed, “Don’t start this again. I’m tired of you accusing me of hero worship.”

 

Gaston smirked, “I’m surprised you didn’t jump ship and join him.”

 

Belle let her gaze return to her fries, her voice forlorn, “He wouldn’t have me.”

 

Gaston brought his hand down on the table causing Belle to jump, “Yet you still obsess over him.”

 

Belle huffed, “I do not!”

 

Gaston huffed, “Every time we’re together I feel like the ghost of him is perched on the table or lurking over my shoulder. I just wish I could get rid of it long enough to get you to marry me.”

 

Belle rubbed her forehead as she fought back the headache brewing there. “He said the same thing.”

 

“What?” Gaston’s tirade derailed momentarily in confusion at her words.

 

“He said to marry you.”

 

Gaston puffed his chest out as a smile crept across his face. “Then he’s a brilliant man.”

 

Belle sighed and pushed away from the table. Gaston made to stop her, but she waved him off. “I’m just not ready yet, alright?” and with that said she headed home.

 

 

 

Rum had been hard at work on his first case and felt confident that he would do well in the courtroom. He had been all smiles lately at the thought that he might be able to redeem himself in Belle’s eyes somewhat. At least she may no longer think of him as a failure.

 

Mrs. Potts had thus far given him some space on the issue of Belle, but no more. This particular morning, she had sat him down and used her Mother power to get him to spill on all that had happened between them in the past month. Mrs. Potts had scolded him when she finally got him to tell her exactly what he had said to her the night she had come to look after him. He had tried to tell her that he hadn’t meant to be so harsh, that the drink was to blame, but she wasn’t having it.

 

“And you’ve not called her up yet?” Rum could do no more than shake his head before looking down in shame. Mrs. Potts had then proceeded to hit him upside the head sending his floofy hair flying forward. She then stomped off muttering about how he’s an idiot who could have the most wonderful life if only he weren’t so damn stubborn.

 

Mrs. Potts continued to huff as she returned and sat down Gold’s cup of coffee, “You weren’t too old eleven years ago and you aren’t too old now.”

 

Gold sputtered his coffee as he answered, “She was too young then!”

 

Mrs. Potts rolled her eyes, “She was a woman of twenty-one years and you were a young man at thirty-seven, and now she is soon to be a woman of thirty-two. Pray tell when will she no longer be too young?”

 

Gold huffed as he answered under his breath, “When there is no longer a sixteen-year age difference.”

 

Mrs. Potts looked down at him through narrowed eyes, “If you weren’t holding a hot beverage I’d hit you upside the head again, not that it has ever knocked any sense into you.”

  
Mrs. Potts huffed as she turned away and began filing papers.


	6. Chapter 6

Mrs. Potts turned on the electric sign in the window of the office and grabbed her coat. It had taken all of an hour to get Rum to go home, but she had finally convinced him that he needn’t be so edgy about the pre-trial hearing in the morning. She supposed he was still a little peeved at how the new D.A. Ms. Mills had treated him on the phone. He had waved his hands erratically as he spoke to her on the phone that afternoon, and then continued to do so as he complained the rest of the afternoon about how pigheaded she was being. Mrs. Potts had to agree with him on that point. She had read all the evidence for the Tortoisé and Hare case and everything pointed to it being self-defense. If Regina were being sensible she would have accepted Rum’s motion to dismiss, but it would seem sensibility was not one of her strong suits. Mrs. Potts sighed as she took one final check of the office and locked up. She prayed things went well tomorrow, Rum could really use the confidence boost.

Mrs. Potts decided to take a detour to Belle’s apartment on her way home. 

Belle had been laying on her couch staring up at the ceiling in a depressed stupor when a knock on her door startled her back to reality. Belle jerked in surprise and nearly fell of the couch. She hurried over and looked through the peep hole, a broad smile crossing her face as she saw the face on the other end. She opened the door. 

Mrs. Potts smiled. “You’re not too old for hugs are you?”  
Belle bounced on the balls of her feet as she embraced the older woman. “Mrs. Potts! I’d been meaning to come see you.”

Mrs. Potts gave her a knowing look as she pushed in to the apartment and made her way to the kitchen. “I bet you have, just like a stubborn young man I know who keeps promising me he will call you.” 

Belle was confused for a moment as she watched Mrs. Potts make herself at home in her kitchen putting the kettle on to boil and then beginning to root around for tea. 

“Rum said he was going to call me?” Belle could hear the hopeful apprehension in her voice and a small part of her was angry that even though he had hurt her she still ached for him. In many ways the loss of him was more painful than the hurtful words. 

Mrs. Potts sighed as she put the tea in the tea pot and set out cups. She turned and motioned for Belle to take a seat at the small kitchen table. “Belle, Rum is a stubborn man. A quality that has served him well in the courtroom, but not so well in life. He does love you duckling, but he doesn’t think he deserves you.”

Belle pushed her hair back and took a deep breath. “The last time we spoke he yelled at me. He hurt my heart and I haven’t been able to get over it.”

Mrs. Potts stood up and hugged Belle to her bosom. “Oh duckling. I know. He was in a bad place, he’s doing better but he’s still struggling to dig himself out of it. I spoke to him about that last night you were together. He didn’t mean the hurtful words he said.”

Belle huffed in frustrated anger, “Then why hasn’t he spoken to me? Why not apologize?”

The kettle began to whistle. Mrs. Potts released Belle from her embrace and sighed. She made her way to the stove and readied the tea pot, bringing it and the cups to the table. “Rum tends to let his emotions color his view of the world. He feels like a failure right now, and that’s how he assumes others see him.” Mrs. Potts poured them both a cup of piping hot tea. “He misses you duckling, but he can’t seem to let himself have you. He thinks he would be holding you back from some amazing life without him, but all he’s succeeding at doing is holding himself back.”

Belle and Mrs. Potts sipped at their tea. Belle was pensive as she let the cup warm her hands and breathed in the soothing aroma of tea. Mrs. Potts had just confirmed what she suspected all along; that Rum thought she was better off without him, but how could she dissuade him of that notion?

Mrs. Potts finished off her cup and rose from the table. “Perhaps you could stop by and see him at his pre-trial hearing tomorrow. He’s been apprehensive about it. It would give him the chance to feel as if he has redeemed himself in your eyes.”

Belle nodded and hugged Mrs. Potts goodbye. She returned to the table and poured herself another cup. She had told him repeatedly that he wasn’t a failure and that she loved him, yet he still felt he needed to be redeemed. Belle sighed to herself. Here I am throwing myself at him and he feels he needs to redeem himself. Belle felt another headache coming on.


	7. Chapter 7

Gaston saw Belle grab her coat and followed her out of the office. “Where are you off to?”

“The pre-trial for the Tortoisé and Hare case is going to begin soon and I’m going to sit in on it.”

  
Gaston scrunched his face in confusion, “Why though? Regina didn’t assign us to that one.”

Belle huffed as she exited the building and made her way across the campus to the courthouse. “Why do I need a reason? The justice system is interesting.”

Gaston snorted. “No, it’s not.”

Belle quickened her steps hoping that he might stop following her. “If you don’t find it interesting, then why did you become a lawyer?”

Gaston shrugged. “The money.”

Belle rolled her eyes at his comment as she got into line to go through the metal detectors. She flashed her badge and placed her purse on the x-ray conveyer. The guard waved her through and she grabbed her bag and hurried toward the elevator hoping she could get it shut before Gaston caught up to her.

She darted into the elevator and spun around hitting her chosen floor and then repeatedly pushing the “close door” button and to her delight the door shut in Gaston’s face.

She got off onto her floor and made her way to the courtroom. Seeing that the trial had already begun, she took a seat in the back as quietly as she could.

Regina was standing before the judge flourishing with her hand as she spoke. The light of the windowless court room glinted off of her dark plum nails as her hands moved and paired with her equally dark lipstick, it gave her a sinister look. “The evidence shows that Mr. Hare was killed by a blow to the head. A blow that Ms. Eve Sop will testify was dealt at the hand of Mr. Tortoise. We are asking for a charge of murder in the first degree.”

Rum rolled his eyes and waved his hands dramatically as he strode forward and spoke. His words and movements were almost mesmerizing in the way they could get you to feel and believe what he wanted. “Your honor, the before mentioned witness Ms. Eve Sop the bartender also stated in her deposition that the fight first began at the pool table as a dispute between the Tweedlmen brothers and Mr. Hare. Only after the unexpected fight had spread through out the dimly lit bar did Mr. Tortoisé find himself pulled into it. Clearly there is no premeditation.”

Regina grabbed papers from her desk and waved them dramatically in Rum’s face before turning to the judge. “I have depositions from character witnesses stating that Mr. Hare and Mr. Tortoisé had bad blood between them and that Mr. Tortoisé often spoke ill of Mr. Hare, going so far as to wish him harm.”

Rum sighed and spoke as if he were all at once explaining something to a child as well as apologizing for said child’s behavior. “That may be, but the evidence clearly shows that the fight was spontaneous. There was no planning or plotting on the part of Mr. Tortoisé. The weapon was identified to be the glass mug of beer Mr. Tortoisé had been drinking out of. Clearly a weapon of opportunity rather than choice. Mr. Hare was a prize fighter known for his voracity in the ring, a fact that Mr. Tortoisé was well aware of. A prize fighter’s fists are considered deadly weapons in our state and according to witness testimony as well as the expert testimony of the doctor who treated Mr. Tortoisé it becomes clear that Mr. Hare attacked Mr. Tortoisé with a deadly weapon in the form of his formidable fists cracking a rib. Fearing for his life Mr. Tortoisé grabbed the only thing at hand and defended himself as is his right. No malice was intended by the act and for the sake of the court’s time I ask that this case be dismissed.”

The judge nodded in agreement and dismissed the case.

Regina fumed as she gathered up her papers and shoved them into her briefcase.

  
Rum turned and saw Belle standing in the back of the room. Smiling he walked over. “What are you doing here?”

Belle pushed her hair behind her ear and smiled. “I came to give you moral support, but you don’t seem to need it.”

Rum smiled, “What did you think of my performance?”

  
Belle smirked playfully. “You were always one for the dramatic.”

  
Rum chuckled, “I don’t know what made me think I wanted to fool around with civil law. This is much more fun.” He smiled at Regina in a pleased way as she fumed past them and out of the courtroom.

Rum was happier than Belle had seen him in a long time and it warmed her heart to think that perhaps things could go back to the way they were before.  
Belle wanted to reach out to him and hug him to her, but she held her hands tight in front of her. He needs to come to me. He pushed me away, so he should be the one who pulls us back together. Belle nibbled her lip anxiously and then spoke. “You sound like your old self.”

Rum smirked, “Better than my old self. When I was District Attorney I was just another cog in the machine. This way I’m on my own and that’s the way I like it.”

Belle’s face fell at his words. Anger, hurt, betrayal burst through the dam she had worked hard to build around her heart since the night he had sent her away. She had thought he was sorry. That he had missed her, but here he is thrilled to finally be alone at last. Malice began to cloud her thoughts. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted him to feel the loss of her the way she felt the loss of him. Her face became stony and her voice cold, “Well, then it would seem double congratulations is in order. Gaston and I are getting married.”

For a moment pain flashed in Rum’s face, but just as Belle registered it two large arms wrapped around her.

“It’s about time you came to your senses.”

  
Belle went pale with shock. “Gaston! When did you get here?” Gaston laid a wet kiss on her collar bone and Belle had to hold herself back from gagging.

Gaston grinned, “Just in time to hear our happy news. Speaking of which, we should celebrate. The three of us should go out for dinner or drinks.”

Rum gave a sad smile. “Not for me. I’ve got a stack of case files to put together. You two go and enjoy yourselves.” Rum turned away and left the courtroom.

Belle pulled out of Gaston’s arms and put out her hand to stop him from following her. “Give me a minute.” She ran out of the courtroom and called out to Rum.

Rum quickly rubbed his eyes and turned toward her, but she could see they were misty. The sight was like a knife to her heart. She struggled to come up with something to say. “I…”

Rum closed the gap between them and with gentle fingers he pushed back a stray curl behind her ear. “I hope you’ll let me give you away.”

Belle was holding back tears of her own at his words. She knew she should say something, but all she could get out was, “It could only ever be you.”

Rum’s lip wibbled and a stray tear streaked down his cheek. Belle was so close to reaching out and holding him to her, begging him to please take her back. But just as she was about to act, he turned and entered the elevator and Belle could do nothing more than watch him leave.


	8. Chapter 8

Belle quickly shut the door to her apartment and began to shed her clothes and shoes as she made her way to her bedroom before collapsing on the bed. The one time I try to be malicious and it backfires completely. Belle wanted to sob, but she was just too depressed. She had tried to call it all off when she returned to Gaston, but by then he had already sent a group text to all of their co-workers announcing the “happy” news and inviting them to drinks after work. She kept trying to find the right words that would fix everything, but every time she started to speak Gaston would get distracted or run off. 

The work day seemed to breeze by and before she knew it she was surrounded by well wishers wanting to know dates for the weding, her hen party, the bridal shower…

What am I going to do?   
Belle felt like she was in too deep. She couldn’t see a way out of this mess without looking every bit the childish idiot that she felt she was. She had dug quite the hole for herself and now she feared that she may have no choice but to keep on digging. 

Belle was shaken from her depressing stupor by a knock on her door. She considered ignoring it until she heard Mrs. Potts muffled voice shouting, “If you’re in there, you had better answer this door!”

Belle swallowed hard and padded down the hall and opened the door. Mrs. Potts looked her over and seeing that she was only wearing her stockings and undergarments asked, “Are you alone?” When Belle nodded, Mrs. Potts shut and locked the door. “You are old enough to know better than to try to be petty.”

Belle began to cry. Mrs. Potts hugged her close. “Oh duckling. I’m too old to be chasing after children such as you and Rum. If you were smaller I’d sit you both down and make you talk it out until you were both blue in the face and then lay you down for a nap.”

Belle sniffled and wiped at her eyes. Mrs. Potts sighed, “Do you love this Gaston fellow in the least?”  
Belle’s lip wibbled as she shook her head. Mrs. Potts pushed the stray curl from Belle’s face as she answered, “Then you must tell him so, firmly and clearly.”

Belle shook her head as she took a seat on the couch. “Everyone already thinks were getting married. How will it look to my co-workers? It’ll effect my job. Regina already seems to have it out for me, and Rumple would know I purposely tried to hurt him.”

Mrs. Potts sat down beside her and shook her head as she muttered, “children… everything is always so black and white for you.” She sighed and turned to Belle. “Being an adult is taking responsibility for your actions.”

Belle looked defeated as she nodded. “I made my bed and now I have to sleep in it.”

Mrs. Potts knew Belle and Rum well enough to know that they often lacked the ability to see the big picture so she pushed just to be certain they were on the same page. “And just what do you mean by that?”

Belle looked confused. “I should marry Gaston?”

Mrs. Potts looked annoyed, “You children are going to put me in an early grave. Marrying Gaston is not taking responsibility, telling the truth is taking responsibility.”

Belle began to stutter, “but…”  
Mrs. Potts cut her off, “but nothing duckling, you break this farce of an engagement off and deal with the fall out.”

Belle looked sick, “What about my career?”

Mrs. Potts sighed, “You think your boss has it out for you and that your co-workers will think less of you, so what? Give notice and move on.”

Belle took a deep breath. “Where would I go?”

Mrs. Potts shook her head, “Do you really need to ask? I promise you that if you go to Rum and apologize, if you hold your ground and show him you won’t be bossed or scared away, he’ll take you in. He doesn’t have the heart to shut you out again.”

Belle considered the older woman’s words, but had trouble making herself believe them. “When the time is right, I’ll break it off and come clean.”

Mrs. Potts stood and made to leave. “There will never be a right time duckling. Some things must be faced head on.”


	9. Chapter 9

Belle had decided that she would come clean with Gaston first thing at work, but that idea had gone out the window as soon as she reached the building and was greeted by a very loud Gaston announcing, “There is the future Mrs. LeGume!” Since people were watching, she had tried to smile, but it had resembled more of a grimace. She quickly gave an excuse of stomach trouble and rushed off to the ladies to calm herself down. 

Belle went into a stall and sat for a moment as she tried to calm her nerves. It was just beginning to work when she heard someone come in. Thinking that perhaps Gaston had sent someone to check on her she lifted her feet up as she was not in the mood for the third degree. 

She listened as the familiar tap-tap of heels crossed the floor and as she carefully peered through the slim door jam opening she could see that it was Regina. 

Satisfied that the restroom was empty, Regina locked the main door and spoke into her mobile phone. “I’m alone. Now, are you sure the leak is someone from my office?” Regina paced nervously as she spoke to some unknown person on the phone. “Yes, but perhaps someone in the police department… I see. Well, if you told me exactly what information was given to the mob… Of course. I understand, but if all you can tell me is that it was the names of key witnesses and addresses of safe houses I can’t narrow down who exactly would have that information. I would need to know exact cases. No sir. I wouldn’t want any of our cases thrown out either sir. Yes. I’ll call if I learn anything.”

Regina ended the call and sighed. She unlocked the door and left. 

Belle wasn’t sure if she heard right. There was someone in the DA’s office leaking information to the mob? Who would do such a thing? Belle took a deep breath and shook her head. She exited the stall and washed her hands. She already had enough to worry about. 

Belle spent the whole of the day distracted and anxious about the moment of truth as if it were an oncoming train. 

As the day was coming to an end Gaston suggested that they go out for a romantic dinner to welcome in the weekend. Suddenly Belle was struck with an idea. I’ll tell him when he comes to pick me up and that will be the end of it, and then I’ll call Rum and explain everything and hopefully come up with an apology that doesn’t make me sound like every bit the childish girl he imagines I still am. 

“Alright. Stop by my apartment at seven and we’ll pick a place and go from there.” 

Gaston smiled broadly and pulled her in for a sloppy kiss. Belle quickly turned her head and so Gaston laid a sloppy kiss on her neck. Yuck.

As soon as Belle was inside of her apartment that evening she called Mrs. Potts and told her that Gaston would be by that night at seven at which time she would tell him that the engagement is off. As soon as she can get him to leave she would call Rum and apologize. Mrs. Potts told her that she would speak to Rum ahead of time and to be careful when she gives Gaston the news. “If I haven’t heard from you by eight o’clock I’ll send Rum over to check on you.”

Belle exhaled as she hung up the phone. She would have to do the brave thing, there was no other choice now. 

Seven rolled around and a knock on the door signaled Gaston had arrived. No sooner had Belle opened the door did Gaston push in. “Sorry Belle, but I am bursting at the seams!” He threw his coat at her and made a mad dash for the bathroom. 

Belle made to set his coat on a nearby chair when she noticed something had fallen out of it. She sat the coat down and retrieved the object. Hmm. It’s a phone. Belle had seen Gaston’s phone, it was one of the flashier models and this one was basic. A burner phone, I wonder why he would have one of those. Just as the thought crossed her mind, a text came in on the mystery phone. It seemed to be in a code of some kind. Belle clicked on the message and looked over the chat history for this text exchange and she felt the blood drain from her face as she recognized the names of several witnesses from active cases and addresses that she could only assume were the safe houses that Regina had mentioned earlier in the day. 

Belle heard the floor creak and looked up in time to see Gaston had reentered the room and was tip toeing toward her with his tie wrapped around his fists and pulled taut between them. Belle’s mind whirred. A garrote! He’s the leak and he knows I know and he’s going to kill me! 

Belle dropped the phone and made a mad dash for the kitchen since Gaston was between her and the front door. Belle knew there was a large knife on the counter, if only she could get to it! Her fingers had just began to grab at it when Gaston’s meaty hands brought the tie around her neck and pulled. Belle panicked as the knife clattered to the floor at her feet. She tried to pull at the tie to make some space between it and her neck. She felt as if it might decapitate her completely as tight as it was, so she changed her plan of attack and threw her hands behind her and clawed in the general direction of his face. He howled and let go of the tie and the relief of having air restored left Belle a heap on the floor. Seeing her opportunity she grabbed the knife, but before she could turn to face her attacker she felt herself being hoisted up by a large arm pulling her into a choke hold. She pulled and clawed at the arm with one hand and blindly stabbed behind her with the other, she could feel that the knife had found it’s mark a couple times and prayed that it would get Gaston to stop his attack. She could hear him grunt in fury and then his free hand found the wrist that held the knife. He pulled and tried to wrench it from her hand. She was already in so much pain that she couldn’t be sure, but she was fairly certain that some of the bones in her hand and wrist were now broken yet she continued to hold the knife’s handle in a death grip so tight that her nails bit into the palm of her hand even as his struggling with her caused the knife to cut into her chest and thigh. Belle feared that this might be a battle that she was doomed to lose, but she would be damned if she didn’t go out fighting so with the last scraps of her energy she bit down on the arm that was around her neck and when his grip on her knife hand loosened she stabbed behind her with all her might. 

Gaston had already lost a great deal of blood and Belle’s final blows severed the main artery in his thigh and punctured a kidney. Defeated, Gaston released her and collapsed backward to the kitchen floor dead. 

When Gaston released Belle she fell to her knees upon the floor and knife still held tight, crawled to the corner of the room as fast as she could and pulled down the phone from the counter. She was in blinding pain and her vision was blurred. Her slick fingers dialed as if on auto pilot.


	10. Chapter 10

Rum stared at the phone on the desk before him and sighed. 

Mrs. Potts had already filled him in on Belle’s ill thought out plot to hurt him with a fake engagement only for it to blow up in her face. She had then proceeded to make sure he knew that it was all his fault and that if he hadn’t treated Belle as he did she wouldn’t be in the predicament she is in now. Mrs. Potts had made him promise that he would not only apologize, but that he would go over in person. 

After being lectured by Mrs. Potts for nearly an hour he had come to a difficult realization. All these years Rum had been so focused on the gap between his and Belle’s ages that he never really saw the woman she had become in her own right. Of course, he had noticed that she was no longer a child, and he hadn’t been able to stop himself from falling in love with her, but he had always kept the knowledge of the age gap between them figuratively between them as if it were a wall of iron bars keeping them apart. But as he had listened to Mrs. Potts reminding him of all of Belle’s achievements his mind began to drift and he imagined what it would have been like if he had met Belle as an adult and he realized that after overcoming the shock that adult Belle could truly care for him so deeply he would have let himself have her and the years between them would never have entered his mind. And so Rum Gold now sat staring at the phone cursing himself for being an utter buffoon for so long and praying that when the phone rang he would find that despite everything she still loved him. 

Rum was pulled from his thoughts by the much awaited ring of his phone and after noting that the number calling was Belle’s apartment he answered it and spoke before Belle had the chance.   
“I already know everything, and you don’t owe me an apology. It is I who should apologize to you. I’m so sorry Belle. I was a fool, but I swear I was only trying to do right by you. You deserve the world and all it has to offer. I tried to choose your life for you, and even though I thought it was to your benefit it was wrong of me. Your life is your own and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and if by some miracle you still choose me, I’m here. And even if you no longer want me, I’ll always be here.”

Belle struggled to speak but couldn’t seem to make sound come out. Finally, she was able to force out a pained whimper.

Rum waited for a response to what he deemed a very heartfelt apology and was confused when he heard nothing, but then there was a whimper and he was on full alert. “Belle? Are you alright?” 

When he was once more faced with no response, he was already in motion. “I’m on my way sweetheart! Hold on!”


	11. Chapter 11

Rum had made it to Belle’s apartment in record time though he didn’t remember the drive. His focus was solely on getting to Belle, though he vaguely remembers calling Graham for help though he now has no idea what he said. He isn’t even sure if he shut the car door in his mad dash to get to Belle. His legs burn as he reaches her door and though he is breathing heavy, he spares a sigh of relief when he finds that the door is unlocked. 

“Belle!” his voice is shaky and laced with worry that is compounded when he receives no answer to his call. He notes the coat on the floor and a cell phone tossed aside by the couch before his eyes reach the kitchen and settle on the form of a very bloodied and obviously dead Gaston. 

Rum stumbles forward and in to the kitchen. His eyes rake across the room quickly surveying it and when he sees Belle’s shaking form pressed into the corner of the room with a knife clutched in her hand, he feels as though his legs might buckle beneath him. He struggles to stay upright as he makes his way across the room and kneels before her. 

His voice wavers as he seeks to assure her, “It’s alright now sweetheart. I’m here. You’re safe.”

She manages to look to him and give him a small nod as large tears tumble from her cheeks, but she doesn’t speak and she doesn’t release the grip on the knife in her hand. 

“Rum!” Graham shouts from the entry way and a moment later he is in the doorway of the kitchen. 

Rum is so focused on Belle and his own fear and heartache that he doesn’t immediately answer, but Graham doesn’t wait for one. He shouts to the officer that he has brought with him to call for an ambulance and to quarter off the apartment as it is now the scene of a homicide investigation. 

Graham crosses the room carefully, minding his steps, as he pulls on a pair of gloves. He approaches Belle slowly and pulls out an evidence bag. “Belle, you’re safe now. No one is going to hurt you. Put the knife in the bag.” She looks at him confused for a moment, seemingly not remembering that she still held the knife, before complying with the request. 

Rum stayed there on the floor beside her hands clasping and unclasping, desperately wanting to touch her but afraid of causing her harm. 

He was vaguely aware of Graham and other police officers processing the apartment, but the sounds they made were quiet in comparison to the wooshing of his racing heart in his ears. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder gently pulling him aside. His first thought was to fight the interloper off, but he quickly registered that it was a paramedic. 

Time seemed to move quickly now as Belle was assessed and loaded into the ambulance for transport to hospital. 

Again life seemed to be moving past him in a blur as he found himself sitting in the waiting room of the Emergency Unit waiting for news on Belle’s condition. 

After what felt like an unbearable eternity he was led to the room where Belle was being cared for and informed of her condition. Her knife wounds were superficial and had been stitched and bandaged. Her hands were bruised and the fingers sprained from fighting off the tie Gaston had attempted to strangle her with, and her right wrist had been fractured and put in a cast. She would be kept for observation for forty-eight hours because there were signs of some damage to the cartilage in her neck and there is a fear that swelling may cause an inability to breathe; however, she is able to breathe and can speak which are good signs. 

Rum took a deep breath at the news that Belle was alright, but he was unable to truly release it until he could see her for himself.

She seemed so small and frail as he made his way into her room. She looked up at him from where she sat up in the hospital bed and silently began to cry.

Rum felt himself being pulled to her side as if by a magnetic force and carefully brushed the tears from her cheeks with gentle fingers. As he did so he took in her bruised neck and the ligature marks there and felt as if his chest were being crushed. He gasped for air and struggled to speak, “Sorry, so sorry, my fault… my fault…” 

Belle raised her bruised left hand and caressed his cheek. He leaned into her touch and felt his heart ache at her whispered voice. “Not your fault. I was stupid. I shouldn’t have given up on you. I suppose that deep down I had let myself believe that I didn’t deserve you. When you told me to get out and that you didn’t want me… I should have held my ground, but I was so startled by it… your words hurt me so deeply… and then instead of fighting for you I tried to hurt you and in doing so I only hurt myself.”

Rum was shaking with silent sobs as he listened to her speak. “Oh Belle… I love you sweetheart, and I swear to you that if you’ll have me I’ll be whatever you want… do whatever you want…”

Belle gave him a pained smile. “I’ll never stop loving you Rum.”

At her declaration he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers allowing their noses to touch and their hair to shield them from the world and for a moment that felt like an eternity and a minute he was at peace and felt a warmth within him that he could only describe as true love. 

Rum sat at her bedside and laid a protective hand on hers as she relayed the events of the day to Graham when he came to question her. She described the conversation she had overheard Regina having in the ladies, discovering the burner phone and realizing Gaston was the leak, and fighting him off in her apartment. Graham had taken detailed notes and wished her a speedy recovery. As he made to leave he gave Gold a look and Rum could see a silent request behind it. Take care of her. Gold nodded solemnly and Graham nodded in reply before turning and leaving.


	12. Chapter 12

Graham pulled some strings so that Gold could have Belle’s things packed and taken to his home, and after a lot of reassuring by Belle that she would be alright without him for a few hours, he headed home and set to work cleaning up her old room and making sure that it and the adjacent bathroom were neat and stocked with everything Belle might need. He was just about to head back to the hospital when Graham stopped by with worry plain on his face. 

“Graham?” Gold’s voice was hesitant, sensing that the news that Graham was about to deliver was not good news.

Graham sighed in a defeated way and replied, “Regina is going to charge Belle.” Graham paused at the point knowing that Gold would need to calm down a moment before he would be able to pay attention to anything else said. 

As expected, Gold’s face paled and his voice betrayed his shock. Then came the rage, which soon simmered into annoyance, and finally worried frustration. “Tell me everything, every single detail.”

Graham and Gold sat down at the kitchen table and Graham told him the tale that Regina had spun in her own mind.   
“Regina thought it was too convenient, Gaston dying when he did. She thinks that Belle was the leak all along and that her knowing about the discussion in the bathroom is just proof of Belle sneaking about the office. She believes that Gaston must have found out about Belle’s supposed mob connections and confronted her about them only to have Belle attack him. She dismissed the evidence of Gaston’s zealous attack on Belle as logical because Belle’s ‘mob connections’ could be used to silence him if she were to escape him.”

Gold was furious. “Damn that obstinate woman! There isn’t enough circumstantial evidence to spit on let alone stick anything to!”

Graham shook his head in agreement. “I know, but Regina has had it out for Belle ever since you left. The first thing she did was strip Belle of her position as Assistant DA and gave it to Gaston.”

Gold sneered as his anger seethed, “She did what?!”

Graham sighed, “She snidely insinuated that Belle had only gotten the position due to nepotism and that Gaston, the oaf, was better suited to the job.”

Gold looked as if he might swallow his tongue, “That witch! Belle earned that position! She worked hard for it! She has more education, experience, and talent in her little finger than that witch and Gaston put together!”

Graham interrupted, “Yes, but that won’t stop her from arguing that Belle was disgruntled and using that as motive.”

Gold brought his fist down hard on the table. “Dammit!”

Graham sighed in defeat, “I have to go and take her in to custody, but I wanted you to know everything first so that you could start to plan. I promise that I’ll keep my eye on her and try to get a bail hearing set as soon as possible.”

Gold was pale. Worry gripped his chest at the thought of Belle in a cold cell, behind bars, but it was inevitable. All he could do is help Graham rush along the bail hearing and work harder than he ever has before to make sure Belle is safe and sound as soon as possible.


	13. Chapter 13

Graham let Gold break the news to Belle, but she still took it hard.   
Her voice wavered as she whispered to Rum, “I’m scared Rum…”

Gold cut her off with soothing shushes as he caressed her checks with his warm hands. “You won’t be there long sweetheart. I promise you that I will get you through this.”

Belle nodded and tried her best to stay strong, but she couldn’t help the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. 

Graham was gentle with her as he led her to the small county jail, and as promised, she was placed in a cell by herself away from all the other prisoners. 

Belle knew that Rum would never give up on getting her out of the mess she found herself in, but she couldn’t help the fear that chilled her to the bone that perhaps she was in too deep for even The Crocodile himself to get her out of. After all, if she found herself in prison her former position in the DA’s office was sure to put a bull’s eye on her, and if she were to be free on the outside there was no guarantee that the mob wouldn’t see her as a loose thread in need of trimming. 

Belle sighed. There was no use in her worrying over all the ‘what if…’ scenarios running rampant in her mind; after all there isn’t anything she can do to get herself out of all the trouble she’s in. All she can do is put her trust in Rum and Graham.


	14. Chapter 14

Mrs. Potts fumed as she paced the office. “I don’t usually pass judgement on people I haven’t met, but this Regina person seems to be a real rotten apple.” She sighed as she took a seat across from where Rum was sitting at his desk and furiously looking over all the information that Graham had gotten for him. Every now and again he would turn to his computer and begin to furiously type before turning back to the documents on his desk and boring holes into them with the intensity of his gaze. 

Mrs. Potts reached for his cup of coffee and noticed that it was empty. She rose up and went to refill it. She returned and sat it back in its place before asking, “Are you sure you can’t get that Regina person to reconsider?”  
Rum huffed. “I tried. She refuses to be moved from her preconceived notions. She seems intent on hurting me and on using Belle to do so.” 

Mrs. Potts took a deep breath and sighed. She placed her hands on Rum’s shoulders and he found that the warm weight seemed to restore a bit of peace to his soul. Her voice was reassuring as she spoke in her motherly tone that always seemed to give him strength. “All will be well. You mustn’t lose faith. You are so good at what you do, and you have people out there who will help you. Things will come out alright in the end. Have faith.”

A knock at the door startled the both from their thoughts. Mrs. Potts crossed the room and opened the door to what would turn out to be a very helpful ally in a source that Rum hadn’t even thought to seek out.


	15. Chapter 15

“Mr. Tortoisé, what are you doing here?” Rum’s voice conveyed his confusion at the appearance of his former client, but he tried to keep the sound of his frustration from seeping in as well. 

Toby Tortoisé entered the office and took a seat across from Rum’s desk.  
“I’m sorry to show up unannounced like this Mr. Gold but my baby sister is in deep trouble and you did right by me, so I was hoping you could do the same for her.”

Rum wanted to stay focused on Belle and he nearly turned Toby away, but then a voice of reason seemed to whisper to him that perhaps a distraction would be good for him. After all, sometimes taking a break from a problem allows your brain to approach it from an unforeseen angle. Rum sighed in resignation, “What trouble has she found herself in?”  
At Rum’s words, Toby looked as if a large weight had lifted from his shoulders. “The deadly sort. You see, my baby sister Tarra is a dancer at the Little Piece of Heaven Gentlemen’s Club off the highway…” Toby shook his head then and muttered, “I always told her that job would bring her nothing but trouble. Why couldn’t she be a waitress, but no she had to get a job under the thumb of the mob.”

Rum’s ears perked at that. “The mob runs Little Piece of Heaven?”

Toby nodded. “Yeah, it’s their main base for laundering money.”  
Now Rum was well and truly interested in Toby’s story. Perhaps he could help Toby’s sister and Belle at the same time. “Please continue.”

Toby took a deep breath. “The head of the mob is a guy by the name of Wolfman, I don’t know his first name. 

Anyway, he’s really possessive of all the dancers there and he’s taken a real shine to Tarra. She agreed to be his girl because she was afraid of what would happen if she were to refuse him, but she fell in love with this low-level mob guy Bill DeLizard who does all the accountant stuff for the mob. 

They want to run off together, but they know that they will never be safe from Wolfman. Tarra’s at her breaking point, she feels like she can’t leave and she can’t stay. Wolfman is abusive and he’s been rough with her in the past…” Toby sucked in a breath as he seemed to be holding back tears. “She’s all I got Mr. Gold, and I’m worried that she might feel so trapped that she could do something… permanent.”

Rum felt for the man. He could relate to feeling as if he was on the brink of losing everything that mattered. “If I’m going to be able to help her she has to help me.”

Toby nodded fervently. “I already talked to her and she agrees that the only way she and Bill can be free is if the whole head of the mob is cut off in one fell swoop. Once those in power are out of the picture the lower level ones won’t be focused on nothing more than trying to pull themselves up the ladder. Tarra talked to Bill and he says that the major players are going to be meeting up soon, and he has tons of notes on the comings and goings of the main players and he has all their accounting information where all the money comes and goes, and the other dancers all want out as well and they’re willing to testify, all they want is protection. If you can get them that then they’ll give you everything you need.”

Already the wheels in Rum’s mind were whirring about as a plan began to take shape. 

Rum grabbed the steno pad from his desk and a pen. He began to quickly take down notes on all that Toby had said as he replied, “Tell your sister I’ll help her.”   
Toby practically leapt from the chair to shake Rum’s hand.   
“Thank you Mr. Gold! I’m always telling people you did right by me. Those people up in the DAs office nowadays seem to think you’re guilty until proven innocent, but not you Mr. Gold. You made sure I got my fair shot at a trial and that means a lot ‘cause I know how people like me and my sister look to the world.”

Rum felt his heart swell a bit at the man’s words. As painful as the news of Edmond Dantes’ death had been, Toby’s words now had his heart soaring. Rum held back the tears that he felt already pooling in his eyes and asked Toby for the names of the other dancers and promised that he would have his contact in the police work with him to come up with a sting that would take down the key players in the mob while protecting Tarra and her friends. 

Toby gave him all the names and then left the office. Mrs. Potts then took Rum’s cold coffee and replaced it with a new one. Rum couldn’t help but smile up at her as he spoke, “I still don’t have quite as much to work with as I’d like, but I have so much more now than I started with.” 

Mrs. Potts smiled back, “I told you to have faith.”


	16. Chapter 16

“Thank you Judge Horkos. I’ll call him right now. Goodbye.”  
Graham had just hung up the phone and begun to look for Rum’s number when his phone rang. He sighed and answered, “Hello?”

“Graham it’s Rum. I have something big I need your help on that will ensure Belle’s lasting protection if we pull it off and it will be a huge boon to your career if we succeed.”

Graham had never heard Rum so excited, but he needed to stop him for a moment because he had very important news. “Rum wait, before you continue I have something I’ve got to tell you. I just got off the phone with Judge Horkos and he’s agreed to have an informal meeting with you in his chambers in an hour to discuss Belle’s bail. I talked him through the charges and he says he’s willing to release her into your custody with an ankle monitor, you just need to go down to his chambers and talk to him about bail amount and posting it.”

Rum looked to his watch and noted the time. “That’s amazing news! I’ll head over as soon as I let you go.”

Rum had always admired Judge Horkos. The man was strict, but fair and valued justice above all.  
Rum hurried to give Graham all the information he had gotten from Toby and explained what he thought they should do. 

Graham held the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he grabbed a pen and paper. “What’re their names?” On the other end of the line Gold provided the information that Graham needed.  
Graham furiously scribbled mumbling as he wrote, “Penny Henly, Lucy Goosee, and Roxy Foxy. Got it. I’ll get started on this right now.” 

Graham wasted no time in starting to put together an operation that if successful would be the biggest criminal bust in the history of the district. With some help from Tarra Tortoisé, Graham was able to get information from the other dancers secretively so as not to draw the attention of their employers and was able to start setting things up so that by the time the sting was happening each of the girls would be safely away at a well protected safe house up in the woods around Storybrooke.


	17. Chapter 17

Rum very nearly ran from the elevator to Judge Horkos’ office. He stopped at the door and took a calming breath before giving it a little knock.  
“Come in.”  
Rum entered the room an took a seat where Horkos indicated. 

Judge Horkos sighed, “Miss French has gotten herself in quite the situation.” He pushed aside the papers he had been reading and looked at Rum as he continued. “Regina was pushing hard for a high bail, but she’s under a lot of pressure at the moment to close the whole matter of a mob informant in her office as quickly as possible so I was able to get her to come down some with the promise of an ankle monitor, but it’s still high.”  
Rum nodded solemnly, “What’s it to be?”

Judge Horkos poured them both a shot of scotch. Rum shook his head no and pushed the glass gently aside. Horkos sighed and nodded. “It’s set at $500,000.”

Rum simply stared at the wood grain of Judge Horkos’ desk for a moment. He could go the route of a bond company or he could pay the bail out right. It would be a noticeable hit to him financially, but he could do it. All that mattered to him was that Belle was safe in their beloved home, comfortable and protected; if that meant that they would have to live off rice and beans for a while and cuddle together for warmth then so be it.  
He took a deep breath and replied, “I’ll pay it.” He and Horkos finished up the necessary paper work and the money was transferred. 

Rum waited in the back hallway behind the judge’s chambers as Belle was brought to him. As soon as she saw him she bolted in his direction and threw herself into his arms. She tried to keep from sobbing for she knew that her crying would only start him off crying and then they would both be messes, but she couldn’t help a shudder of relief and a few stray tears. 

He took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders and led her to the car. As he drove them to their home he reassured her that he and Graham were working non-stop on her case and that she needn’t worry. He also told her that his good friend Dove in the security business had been called and hired on to install security devices in their home and that he would be staying with them until the whole matter was taken care of. He just wanted her to try to mend and above all he wanted her to feel safe again. 

Rum pulled into the driveway and parked. He made to get out and help Belle when he was stopped by the sound of her voice. “How much was my bail?”

Rum looked at her for a moment and released a breath. “It wasn’t more than I was willing to pay.”

Belle looked at him seriously and he could see the weariness in her eyes and a tinge of sadness. “Rum, there was a time when I believed that perhaps you would come to love me…” He made to speak but she quickly stopped him with a hand, “Let me finish. I used to think that because you were so much more…” She sighed, “Oh Rum. I think that deep down I still am a little afraid that I’m not good enough for you because I believe you deserve so much more, but I’ve had a lot of time to think lately and I began to see my memories differently. I realize now that you’ve loved me for a long time and I didn’t see it because you didn’t want me to see it. You’ve been behind the scenes for years putting me first in all things and I suppose I just took it for granted. So I’m asking you again, what was my bail?”

Rum shrugged and looked down at his hands. “As I said, it wasn’t more than I was willing to pay.”

Belle reached over and tilted his face to look at hers. “Rum… after all that has happened It wouldn’t surprise me to find that there isn’t a price you wouldn’t pay for me; your heart and soul included.”

Rum leaned into her touch, “I’d give my very life for you Belle.”

Belle sighed, “I know it was a large amount because I heard a couple of officers talking about it, so you might as well tell me or I’ll just imagine something far worse.”

Rum didn’t want her to worry over it, but he also saw no way out of telling her for she would find out eventually if she was truly determined.  
“It was $500,000.”

Belle looked as if she were about to pass out. She brought her hands up and hid her face within them. 

Rum quickly sought to soothe her fears. “It’s alright sweetheart. We’ll get through it in the meantime and once the trial is over it will be returned because I promise you I will get those charges dropped.”

Belle shook her head and hunched forward slightly. “It’s too much. You shouldn’t have had to… If I hadn’t…”

Rum shushed her softly. “I need you with me. I needed to know you were safe in our home. I wouldn’t be able to focus knowing you were in a cold cell locked away with danger around every corner.”

Rum came around the car and helped Belle out and into the house. She didn’t speak as she let herself be led up to her old room. This house was so full of memories. She remembered that first day she and Rum had moved in after her mother’s death. Rum had wanted to give her a home and the stability to stay a child a little longer. She smiled to herself as she now realized that he had truly picked this home especially for her from the rose bushes, the big yard with trees, and the pink color of the outside and inside. A teenage girl’s dream house. She remembered how uncertain they both had been in the beginning. Rum hadn’t really had a childhood of his own and she supposed he must have felt out of his depth in those early days when they both were trying to figure out their places in each other’s lives. And now standing at the threshold of her old room with Rum at her side she felt a bit like she did in those early days and she suspected that Rum did as well. 

Belle turned to Rum, “That terrible night that you found me… when you spoke to me on the phone I seem to remember something along the lines of you asking if I still wanted you.”  
Rum nodded.

Belle took his hands into her own. “Marry me Rum.” She could feel his apprehension, but she knew he loved her. “Remember how unsure we were when we first moved here? Well this is just like that. Our relationship has always been dynamic, growing and changing as we grew. I love you Rum and you love me. That’s all that matters. We’ll figure out marriage together.”

Rum couldn’t help but begin to cry at her words. He pulled her close and cried happily into her hair. “Of course I’ll marry you. I only hope I can be the husband you deserve.” 

Belle held him close. “You already are. We’ll help each other, just as we always have. Only now we are equal.” She pulled back slightly and looked at him, “I promise you that I will tell you my thoughts and fears and won’t keep them from you. Will you promise me the same?”

Rum closed his eyes and nodded.

When they finally pulled apart Rum made to leave her to her room. “I’ll let you get settled in.”

Belle stopped him. “Rum wait. I… could I sleep with you from now on?”

Rum looked like a deer caught in headlights. Belle saw his fear and continued, “I’m not expecting we do anything but sleep… I mean I wouldn’t be opposed to other things, but with everything going on now isn’t the time and it would be better if we waited until things are more certain and calmer so that I can really focus on it because I want my first time to be memorable…”

Rum felt the air woosh out of his chest, “first time?”

Now Belle looked like a deer caught in headlights. “I… yeah. I know you’re probably experienced and If it bothers you I can take care of it before…”  
Take care of it? Those words cleared the haze for Rum and had him on full alert. “Belle it’s fine. In fact I’m incredibly honored that you would let me be your first. And if my presence will bring you comfort then there is no where I’d rather you sleep then at my side and in my arms.”

Belle sucked on her lip slightly and he could see how touched she was by his words she hugged him and nuzzled her head against his chest. “I love you Rum.” He held her close and whispered back, “and I love you.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fic updates have been few and far between. Life has been particularly difficult lately, but I promise that I'm still here.

Dove arrived and secured the perimeter so Rum left Belle to settle in to life at home while he returned to the office to pick up some things.

 

Belle waved down the stairs to Dove and told him she would be down in a while.

Dove nodded and then reminded Belle that she should keep the curtains closed and try to stay back from the windows.

Belle shuddered at his reminder that she was not completely safe yet, but she did feel so much safer than she had in jail.

 

She made her way into the bathroom that she used and smiled as she saw that Rum had stocked it for her homecoming.

There was her robe hanging on the wall, a stack of fluffy towels, her various toiletries and soaps… she sighed and felt herself begin to relax as the sight made her feel not only the comfort of home, but she could almost believe that she had never left the safety of the beautiful nest of a home that Rum had created for her over the years.

 

Belle turned on the tap to fill the tub and then went to her room to get a change of clothes. She giggled as she went as a silly image popped into her head of Rum as one of those funny little birds who try to create elaborate nests to woe a mate because their home was indeed an elaborate nest of lovely things and various treasures and knick-knacks. Belle gave a sad little sigh as she wondered if perhaps the reason that Rum seemed to collect such a wide variety of things is that he grew up with practically nothing to truly call his own. All he had growing up was hand me downs and cast offs found in back alley dumpsters. Even the small doll that had been his childhood companion had been made of no more than scraps that his aunties who raised him had left over from their work as seamstresses.

 

Belle poured a little rose scented bath oil into the tub and turned off the tap. She shed her clothes and placed them in the hamper.

 

She stepped into the steamy water and inhaled its light rose smell as she sat down and began to relax. Belle had always been a fan of baths, but after her experience in jail she was beginning to suspect that she might never take a shower again.

 

As she lay back with her eyes closed she felt as if she were finally getting some rest. The whole time she was incarcerated she was constantly afraid to the point where she preferred solitary confinement in her cell to the times where she was able to roam. Anyone could be hired by the mob to kill her, she couldn’t even trust her jailers because money can make things happen and money is something the mob has plenty of.

 

There was a small fear beginning to take root in the back of her mind that Rum may not be able to get her off and she would end up back in jail, which was a thought that caused dread to stick to her bones like hot tar, but she pushed the thought aside. She would not dwell on it now. She promised herself that she would enjoy every moment of freedom and her time with Rum to the fullest. That she would commit every detail of it to memory, and if the terrible thought came to be reality she would cling to those memories for as long as she could.

 

Belle washed her hair and finished her bath. She dried off, careful to get underneath the ankle bracelet gently with the towel and then dried her hair.  

She put on her favorite oversized shirt, a pair of leggings, and socks. She then made her way downstairs and into the kitchen to start dinner.

She peered into the fridge and sighed, “Oh Rum.” There was very little in the fridge and she wondered how he had been eating in her absence. Well, I suppose I’ll have to make a list for him of things to pick up, she thought as she rummaged through the fridge and freezer before making her way to the pantry. She began to grab some things and turned back to the counter, noticing that there was a large stack of mail on the table. She set the things down and looked the mail over. She shook her head as she saw that there were a few final notices in the mix. He’s so focused on me that he may find himself without lights soon.

Belle set the stack aside organizing it as she did so and making a mental note to deal with the bills after dinner and upon seeing some coupons in the store ads decided that she would go through and clip what they could use and look online as well. Belle then giggled to herself at the thought of Rum using coupons. Rum hated coupons. He saw them as charity no matter how many times Belle had told him they were no such thing. Well as they would definitely need to be on a budget for the foreseeable future, he will just have to get used to them.

Belle started some rice in the rice maker and then set to work cooking some green beans that she found in the freezer with a can of stewed tomatoes and began to chop onion as she considered what else she could add to this meagerly thrown together meal.


	19. Chapter 19

Gold got in his car and pulled out of the driveway of his home. Belle is home now and that is such a relief, but now there is a new tension quickly taking its place… Belle loves him and wants to be his wife.

 It all happened so fast that he could barely get his brain to form words; the happiness was like an expanding explosion in his chest. Then the revelation that he would be her first was like a black hole in the aftermath of a supernova.

 

Of course, _he_ would be her first the dark part of his mind shouted, she hadn’t dated in high school and with her classes and her driving to be with _him_ all of the time, she hadn’t dated in college.

He had sucked her life away from her with his mere presence in her life… **No**.

 

He took a breath and was able to wind back those dark thoughts. He reminded himself that Belle is a woman, not a girl. She has never been one to be told or bossed. She has chosen him and at that reminder some of the tension in his chest receded.

 

He dashed into his office and quickly packed all of the papers and notes he would need into his briefcase. He gave Mrs. Potts a quick update and she promised that she would keep things at the office taken care of for him.

He hurried back to his car and took a deep breath as he started the engine. Belle is home. The thought came to him as he put the car in gear, and it made him feel as if he were a pot about to boil over with relief. Now to keep her there.

He huffed as he thought of all the years of his and her life that he had wasted keeping her at arms length. Then a memory came to him without warning. He remembered the first time he saw Belle. Collette had brought her to the office after her first day of primary school. Rum remembered thinking at the time that she looked just like a porcelain doll with her chestnut hair in ringlets and a satin blue ribbon in her hair. He had sat with her while Colette had done some paperwork. He smiled to himself as he remembered how she had told him in a scandalized voice that none of the other kids there were reading yet. And then she had proceeded to shake her head in disappointment as she described the woefully lacking classroom library and the injustice that the school library would only be available to her once she became a first grader.

 

Then his smile became melancholy as little snapshots of memories floated to the surface.

Her beaming smile the first time she won the science fair. The way she used to look like a chipmunk when she ate a sandwich. Drying her tears as her mother bandaged her bruised knees and agreeing with her that ‘yes, boys are terrible’. The fear in her face when she had asked him if the kids at school were right and she really was ‘weird’, and her small giggle when he assured her that she was weird in all the best ways and that it is the kids at school who should be trying to earn her friendship and not the other way around.

Then he remembered holding her as her mother died and feeling so out of his depth. This precious being was in his care now…

 

Gold felt sadness and frustration in the tears that threatened to run down his cheeks. He had failed her as a father. He had followed his ambition to the DA’s office and that had put Belle in the terrible danger that she was in now.

He swallowed hard and took a breath. No. She is a woman and her decisions are her own. She chose a career in law. He didn’t drive her to it and to think he did is giving himself too much credit.

 

Gold pulled into the drive and turned off the car’s engine. He sighed as he prepared to enter the house. Belle had made herself clear in her wants and intentions. By some miracle she wants him for her husband, and he will do whatever it takes to protect her.


End file.
